President says plan is 'the biggest most important step we've ever taken to combat climate change'

The Obama administration will unveil a major climate change plan Monday aimed at a large reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the nation's coal-burning power plants, a senior administration official told CNN.

President Barack Obama said Thursday night that he can feel some Democratic members of Congress getting "squishy" in their support of the Iran deal, bowing to the "political heat" they feel from the "fierce" lobbying campaign against the Iran deal.

The "Clean Power Plan" is the final version of regulations by the Environmental Protection Agency, which President Barack Obama called "the biggest most important step we've ever taken to combat climate change," in a video released by the White House on social media Saturday night.

The plan will call for a reduction power-sector carbon pollution of 32% from 2005 levels in 2030 -- a 9% increase over the 2014 draft proposal, the official said. It will also call for a more aggressive transition to renewable energy.

"Power plants are the single biggest source of harmful carbon pollution that contributes to climate change," Obama said in the video. "Until now, there have been no federal limits to the amount of carbon pollution plants dump in the air."

The plan, which will also include a requirement for states to submit their own respective plans, is already being met with major opposition from congressional Republicans and governors, including Wisconsin governor and presidential candidate Scott Walker.

Even before the rule was announced, many states announced plans to fight it, including some vows to take the administration to court over the new rules. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged states not to comply with the plan in a letter to all 50 governors.

Critics also said that the plan will bring unwelcome increases in electricity prices.

"This plan is all pain and no gain," said Luke Popovich, vice president of communications for the National Mining Association. "That's why state leaders across the country are coming to the same conclusion -- that we should not sacrifice our power system to an unworkable plan built on a faulty interpretation of the law."

A multi-million dollar campaign backed by the energy industry has sought to debunk the science of climate change, but polls show most Americans believe the planet is warming.

Coal supplied 37% of U.S. electricity in 2012, compared to 30% from natural gas, 19% from nuclear power plants, 7% from hydropower sources such as dams and 5% from renewable sources such as wind and solar, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

EPA officials have conceded in the past that some of the dirtiest power plants now operating, such as older coal-fired plants, will end up shuttered as the nation shifts its reliance from traditional fossil fuel sources to cleaner alternatives.

Expecting a tough fight, the White House will launch, what it describes as an "all-out climate push" by the President and cabinet officials to fan out to sell the plan. In the next several weeks, Obama will travel to Nevada to speak at the National Clean Energy Summit and later become the first sitting President to go to the Alaskan Arctic.

The impending battle ahead could be seen as a major legacy issue for Obama as he transitions into the last quarter of his presidency.

"There are few issues more important to the president," a senior administration official said, adding that Obama is likely to make the case that climate change is a moral, economic and national security obligation in the months ahead.

The news of the President's plan was hailed on Sunday by Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Martin O'Malley.

MIAMI -- Closer A.J. Ramos blew Jose Fernandez's chance at a major-league record, but the Miami Marlins still managed to rally in dramatic fashion for a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday at Marlins Park.Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria had the first walk-off hit of his career, a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth. It was his fifth homer of the season, and it came on a 1-0 pitch from reliever Brandon Maurer (7-4).Maurer walked two batters in the inning, fell behind on Hechavarria and watched the Marlins shortstop drill his one-out homer to left-center.Miami (43-62) snapped a four-game losing streak.The Marlins led 2-0 with one out in the ninth when Padres shortstop Alexi Amarista pulled a two-run homer to right field off Ramos. Amarista came into the game hitting just .196 with two homers.In 24 career starts at Marlins Park, Fernandez has a 1.15 ERA. Had he won, he would have tied Johnny Allen (1932-33) and LaMarr Hoyt (1980-82) as the only major-league pitchers since 1900 to have won the first 16 decisions of their career at home.However, Fernandez is the only one of those three to have earned his wins exclusively as a starting pitcher.Fernandez struck out 10 batters in six innings on Sunday, allowing four hits and two walks. He threw 112 pitches, the most he has thrown since he came back from Tommy John surgery on July 2.In fact, Fernandez had thrown 94 pitches through five innings when the Marlins somewhat surprisingly decided to let him return to the mound for the sixth.Before Ramos' collapse, Fernandez got relief help from Bryan Morris, Carter Capps and Mike Dunn. But Capps left the game due to stiffness in his right elbow.The Padres (51-54) had their four-game win streak snapped. Starter James Shields allowed two runs in six innings and escaped with a no-decision after Amarista's homer.San Diego had a pair of major opportunities to get to Fernandez. The Padres loaded the bases in the first inning, but Fernandez got out of the jam by getting catcher Derek Norris to pop out to shortstop.In the fifth, Amarista hit a leadoff triple. But he was stranded when Fernandez struck out Shields, center fielder Will Venable flew out to shallow right and third baseman Yangervis Solarte struck out.Fernandez also worked around a two-out, two-base error by first baseman Justin Bour in the sixth, striking out Norris on his final pitch of the day.Miami scored twice in the first inning. Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who doesn't have much power anymore at age 41, surprised Venable by driving a ball over his head. Venable was justifiably playing shallow against a player who has just two homers the past two seasons.Marlins second baseman Miguel Rojas, playing for a resting Dee Gordon, then tried to bunt Suzuki to third. When that failed, Rojas hit a 1-2 pitch to center for an RBI double. Rojas eventually scored on left fielder Derek Dietrich's sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.NOTES: Marlins 2B Dee Gordon, who entered Sunday third in the NL batting race (.330 average), was given a rest and was not in the starting lineup. ... The Marlins had a 2.79 ERA in July, the third-best month in franchise history. ... For the season, Miami's bullpen ranks fourth in the NL with a 3.23 ERA. ... The Marlins wrap up their nine-game homestand by hosting the New York Mets on Monday through Wednesday. ... Padres RHP Tyson Ross and his brother, Washington's Joe Ross, gave up homers this week to Mets 1B Lucas Duda. The last hitter to homer off two brothers in one week was Alex Rodriguez, who victimized Livan and El Duque Hernandez in 2007. ... ESPN ranked all major league teams on how well they did before Friday's trade deadline. The Padres, criticized for not being active enough, ranked 26th. The Marlins, criticized for not extracting any top prospects in return for the veterans they traded, were 30th. ... The Padres conclude their 10-game road trip Monday through Thursday in Milwaukee.

Boykin, who was dealt to the Steelers on Saturday night for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, said Kelly is "uncomfortable around grown men of our culture" in a text message to Comcast SportsNet's Derrick Gunn.

Kelly was asked by reporters Sunday about Boykin's comments

"I don't know. In talking to him last night I think he was stunned, he was disappointed. He really liked it here," Kelly said. "When he left here last night he shook my hand and gave me a hug, didn't say anything. I like Brandon. I just don't know. I really don't know."

Other former Eagles have indicated that racial motives play a part in Kelly's personnel decisions. Former Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, dealt in the offseason to Buffalo, told ESPN in May that Kelly quickly "got rid of all the good players. Especially all the good black players."

Boykin, a fourth-round pick by the Eagles in 2012, has played in 48 games (six starts), recording seven interceptions and 32 pass breakups.

"He can't relate and that makes him uncomfortable," Boykin added in the text message. "He likes total control of everything, and he don't like to be uncomfortable. Players excel when you let them naturally be who they are, and in my experience that hasn't been important to him, but you guys have heard this before me."

Boykin clarified his comments later Sunday, saying his differences with Kelly were based on lack of communication.

"When you're a player, you want to be able to relate to your coach off the field," Boykin told reporters at St. Vincent College, site of Steelers training camp in Latrobe, Pa. "There were times he just didn't talk to people. You would walk down the hallway, he wouldn't say anything to you. I'm not saying he's a racist in any way.

"I felt a lot of guys in that locker room feel the same way. Of course, when you're in the organization, you're not going to voice your opinion. For me, I've always been a guy of honesty. Not trying to put anybody out in any way, but if you're honest with me, I'll be honest with you, and I felt like that honesty wasn't there all the time."

Kelly said the Steelers called the Eagles for months about acquiring Boykin in a trade.

"They actively pursued him. They wanted to trade for him at the draft and we turned it down," Kelly said. "It more speaks to what our depth was at the position. We're going to have to make some tough decisions at corner and we're not going to be able to keep them all.

"I've always been a Brandon Boykin fan. I think he did an unbelievable job in the 2 1/2 years I was with him and I wish him nothing but success."

A White House petition requesting that dentist Walter Palmer, who killed a prized lion in Zimbabwe, be extradited to the African nation to face justice should receive a response from the Obama administration.

Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has accused Jan Casimir Seski, of Murrysville, Pennsylvania, of shooting the lion with a bow and arrow in April.

It happened near Hawange National Park without approval and on land where it was not allowed, the wire service reported.

The killing adds to the outcry after a Minnesota dentist killed a well-known lion named Cecil in July. Zimbabwe officials want the United States to extradite Walter Palmer.

A local landowner involved in the April killing was arrested and is assisting police, the AP reported.

Seski directs the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.

The AP reported that Seski can be seen in pictures on safari and bow-hunting sites next to slain elephants, an impala, a kudu, a Nyala, a hippo and an ostrich.

The AP knocked on Seski’s door and left a message with his answering service but received no immediate response.

National Parks spokeswoman Caroline Washaya Moyo told the AP that Seski had provided his name and other identifying information for a government database when he came for the hunt.

"When hunters come into the country they fill a document stating their personal details, the amount they have paid for the hunt, the number of animals to be hunted, the species to be hunted and the area and period where that hunt is supposed to take place," she said. "The American conducted his hunt in an area where lion hunting is outlawed. The landowner who helped him with the hunt also did not have a have a quota for lion hunting."

This weekend, a third lion was feared killed. But Jericho the lion is alive and well and roaming his park habitat in Zimbabwe, the Oxford University researcher tracking the lion confirmed on Sunday.

Brent Stapelkamp dismissed reports that the lion had been killed, saying a GPS device on Jericho didn't suggest anything out of the ordinary. Furthermore, the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, which told CNN and other media Saturday that poachers had killed Jericho, retracted those statements on Sunday.

The head of the conservation task force, Johnny Rodrigues, said in a new statement that the erroneous information was the result of mistaken identity. Rodrigues said that another lion had been killed, something that CNN cannot immediately verify.

As proof of life, Oxford University tweeted a photo of Jericho, taken by Stapelkamp early Sunday morning.